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My B Series Mid vent just arrived. Which rods should I use?


Captainbob
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We are still very much the rookies, but wanted to know how the 'Diamond' frame differs from the others, particularly the black race frame?

I haven't weighed them, but Diamond spars feels quite a bit lighter than black Race rods... Diamonds are my go-to choice for 0-3 mph now.

However, they are also much more fragile - have actually blown out a vertical just "whumping" in 3 mph, and have found they bend oddly (leading edge) in anything over 4 mph or so.

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If John is 'blowing out' a vertical, then at this point in our Rev learning curve, we are not ready for another light weight and $$$ frame option. We need to get used to using the 3 wrap (mid vent) and Race frame (standard) and feel what works (or doesn't) for us!

Thanks!

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For the n00bs... While black Race and 2-wrap may be roughly comparable in weight, the 2-wraps are much more flexible.

I tend to avoid over-flexible spars because as the kite flexes, the airfoil changes... I want that change in airfoil to be held within a certain range.

To add more insight...

Let's say my hands are in a position for forward flight, same handle position on two different frames:

Stiff frame = less forward, more sail pressure

Flexible frame - more forward, more spill of pressure

On a more flexible frame, one handle position yields different response from the kite as it loads and unloads pressure.

On a frame that is too stiff, the sail never "billows" and loads up with the belly pressure that makes it fly so well.

Again, I'm always looking for a median range of flex that gives me enough flexibility to load up, but not so much that my airfoil is changing radically throughout the window.

Food for thought from the mind of one flier. ;)

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If John is 'blowing out' a vertical, then at this point in our Rev learning curve, we are not ready for another light weight and $$$ frame option. We need to get used to using the 3 wrap (mid vent) and Race frame (standard) and feel what works (or doesn't) for us!

Thanks!

Disclaimer here... I "WHUMP" really hard, not the sort of input your average flier uses - wouldn't so much worry about this aspect.

Main concerns are flying a frame beyond it's wind range, or excessive (uncontrolled) ground contact. ;)

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  • 2 months later...

I tried diamond spars for the first time today in a 1.5 SUL and they did really well in very low winds. I tried them also in a B-Pro Standard, but the SUL was more reactive. It surprised me how much wind they will take, up high was 5 plus and they felt great.

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I had converted my SUL into a street kite and put some diamond rods in the LE! I had been using 2 wraps in it, but I too, really liked the response of the diamonds!!

The rods were traded with a friend of mine that had broken both verticals at once, flying in way too much wind! Unfortunately they were from the original run of diamonds, and one snapped up near where the ferrule ended, not at the end! I wasn't flying in too strong conditions and the break was in an odd area! But they did have some problems with layup on the first run rods! Confirmed with Ben D.!

Overall, I liked them in light wind!

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